I Was No One
by Tengu Queen
Summary: Hinatacentric One shot. Some Spoilers for the Chuunin Exams. Hinata reflects how she has changed, because of one boy. How she started as No One, and evolved into something better. Heavily hinted NaruHina


I Was No One

Naruto…

For your entire life, you thought you were always alone.

You thought that no one would help you, no one was cheering for you, and no one cared.

You were wrong.

I was always there, watching you.

I don't blame you though, for never noticing me. I always did my best to make sure you never saw me, even as I watched you.

Watched you struggle, watched you fight, and watched you fail again and again, until you finally got it right.

I remember, years ago now, you were training behind the school. You threw shuriken again, and again, and again at the target, working so hard to improve your aim. But finally, with the exertion of the day weighing heavily on your body, you collapsed.

As I watched you fall to the ground, I almost stepped forward, to help you stand back up.

But as you panted, I hesitated.

At that moment, I realized what you needed.

You needed who would help you up after you fell. You needed someone who could hold you when no one else would even look at you. You needed someone strong enough, and substantial enough to hold your emotional and physical weight, even if only for a little while.

At that moment, the reality of what I was came crashing down on me.

I was someone who never even stood on her own. I had been forgotten by my family, and had become a ghost. I had allowed myself to become the very thing they told me I was. I was a weak, immaterial girl who couldn't stand up to her own problems, let alone bear the brunt of someone else's.

You needed someone, and I had become **no one**.

And at that moment, I realized I truly cared for you, perhaps even l-…loved you, and that I wanted to be that person. The person who would help you stand again.

As I watched you stand back up, I saw the sag of your shoulders, and the weariness in your eyes.

In that instance, I made a promise to myself. I would change.

I would become stronger.

I would become not only someone, but The One you needed.

A short time later, we were put into groups as genin.

Silently I had prayed I would be on your team, but was disappointed when you were put on the same team as Sakura and Sasuke. After all, I knew how much you were infatuated with the kunoichi, and I'll admit that a sense of hopelessness creeped through my spirit. How could I ever hope to compete with someone as beautiful and strong as Sakura?

After a few moments, I shoved that voice down, reminding me of my promise. Besides, everyone knew Sakura was smitten with the Uchiha boy.

When I was put on a team with Kiba and Shino, I was a little nervous. I had heard stories of the Inuzuka and Aburame clans, and knew they were strong. Very strong. However, under the tutelage of Kurenai-sensei, we learned to work together as a team. And, even though it was a slow change, I felt myself slowly growing stronger.

At the Chuunin exams, when I faced Neji, I knew I was outclassed.

I didn't forfeit the match though, because I remembered my promise, and I remembered your fight with Kiba.

I wanted to show you that I had gotten stronger too. I wanted to show you that I would no longer run away from my problems, and that I would face them head-on, even when I knew I would loose.

At the end of the match, I barely felt the pain rushing through my body. I had done it. I had faced my fears.

Now that I knew I had the courage to do it, I just had to acquire the strength to win.

When you left to train with Jiriya, the legendary Sannin, I almost confronted you.

However, before I approached you, I looked at my hands. They were pale, fragile hands, with just the beginnings of calluses and scars.

I still wasn't strong enough yet, but I was getting there.

Slowly, I was fading back into focus. Slowly, I was becoming **someone.**

And now, three years after you left, and six months since you returned, I stand on the battlefield.

Bodies of Sound Nin, and Konoha Nin litter the ground around me, but they aren't who I'm focusing on.

In front of me are four people.

The four people of the original Team Seven of all those years ago.

Kakashi.

Sasuke.

Sakura.

And you, Naruto.

Kakashi looks bemusedly at his students from the sidelines, as Sakura tends to Sasuke's wounds.

It isn't that she doesn't love you, Naruto. Over the sixth months before now, I saw the two of you grow closer, but I know she isn't a threat anymore. It is a bond of friendship, and nothing more.

And I also know that the only reason she isn't healing you right now, is because Sasuke has much worse wounds, because you nearly had to kill him to make him agree to come back.

Then, whether from exhaustion or pain, - I can't tell- you fall.

The scene of so many years ago flashes through my head, and I watch you fall in the past and the present.

But things are different now.

Once your knees hit the ground, and your shoulders sag, I step forward.

It is my time.

Gently, I rest my hand on your shoulder, and you look up.

Blue eyes meet pearly white, and I smile, gently.

I can see the light slowly blooming behind your eyes, as you can obviously see what I'm offering.

I hold out my hand, callused now, but still as pale.

You look down at my hand, and then back up at my eyes.

I smile, and try to convey everything I've worked for, everything I've become, through that connection.

Please Naruto. I've changed. I've changed so much, because of you.

I was No one.

Then I became Someone.

Now please, I'm begging you, see me as The One.

Seconds pass in silence, and somewhere in my subconscious I realize Kakashi is watching us, as is Sakura.

I swear my heart skips a beat as you take my hand.

Slowly, I help you up, and as you totter on unsteady feet, I wrap your arm around my shoulder.

You lean your weight on me, and to my happiness, I do not waver despite my exhaustion from the previous battle.

Glancing up, I meet Kakashi's eyes.

He is smiling at me.

Turning my head slightly, I look at Sakura.

She is kneeling on the ground, with Sasuke's head resting in her lap.

And despite the blood splattered on her clothes, and despite the sweat and dirt rubbed onto her pale face, her eyes are tender as they look down from me to Sasuke.

She is beautiful then. Angelic even. And if Sasuke were awake to see it, I'm sure he could not help but return the love so strongly reflected in her gaze.

Then, she looks back up at me, and smiles.

As we stand there in the field of blood and death, a single thought passes between we kunoichi.

We have another chance.

Many weeks later, Sasuke went on trial. The Hokage did not, as expected, give him the death sentence. Instead, she was swayed ever so slightly by the pleadings of his friends, including myself, so that eventually she gave the Uchiha a probationary period of two years.

Two years that he would be doing nothing other then waiting, and living.

In all of those weeks, I had not seen Naruto since the battle.

But surprisingly, I had seen Sakura quite frequently, for she had started to seek me out. She seems to enjoy talking to me, and it seems that we are becoming friends.

It was two months after the trial that I saw you again, Naruto. But never once did I worry that you had forgotten me.

I knew you could not have ignored a gesture that you had needed so much, for so many years.

If I waited, I was sure that you would eventually come to me.

That moment finally came Two Months after the trial.

You and the rest of Team Seven, plus one, were at Ichikaru's, eating ramen.

Sakura was, of course, sitting next to Sasuke, and was practically glowing.

Sasuke still looked dark, and cold, but I could see the soft glimmer in his eyes as he looked at his teammates. It seemed they were slowly melting him.

Kakashi had, surprisingly, had brought someone else to this little meeting.

It was the Jonin Anko, whom I remembered from the Chuunin exams all those years ago.

I smiled softly at the sight of the two of them, who were talking quietly with Sakura about something.

And then there you Naruto.

You seemed much better now, much less tired then you had been after the battle with Sasuke.

Suddenly you glanced up, and I could feel your eyes fall on me.

Without realizing it, I blushed, and immediately started to berate myself, not noticing that you had excused yourself from your friends, and had started walking in my direction. I'm embarrassed to admit it was only when you came to stand in front of me that I realized you were asking me a question.

"Hi Hinata, how are you doing?" you asked politely.

"I'm fine," I said quietly. The stutter had faded from my voice a long time ago.

Silence passed.

"Hey, do you wanna come eat some ramen with us?"

I looked up at you, and saw within your eyes something flicker, as quickly as light.

I smiled.

"Yes, I would."

And as we walked towards the table, I reflected on the changes I had undergone.

I had begun as No One.

I had struggled to become Some One.

And now, after so long, there was the flicker of hope that I might become The One.

Your One, Naruto.

A/N: Remember to feed the author! (With reviews)


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